Proposed restaurant has Thibodaux chefs concerned

Saturday

THIBODAUX -- Gourmet concoctions from Nicholls State Universityís acclaimed cooking school could be served up to the public if plans for a new fine-dining restaurant pan out.

But the idea of an off-campus restaurant run by the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute has some local restaurateurs wondering whether the venture will create unfair competition for their kitchens.

Alton Doody, a New Orleans businessman appointed as dean of the institute last fall, said the university is researching the possibility of running a restaurant at Bayou Country Club near the universityís Thibodaux campus.

"There isnít a culinary institute of any consequence that does not run one or more food operation," Doody said.

Jim Funk, president of the Metairie-based Louisiana Restaurant Association, said he is concerned a university-run restaurant may not have to pay overhead costs that business owners must shoulder to operate.

The local associationís chapter helps the culinary institute raise money and, in the last three years, has donated about $15,000 to the school for scholarships, cooking tools and other expenses, an organization official said.

"Thereís a lot of rumors out there about what could happen," he said. "I think thatís why they need to get with the business community and explain what they have in mind, and they need to do it sooner than later."

Many restaurants are independently owned, Funk said, run by entrepreneurs vulnerable to competition.

"Itís a challenging time for restaurants, with the cost of food rising and cost of labor being up," Funk said. "Restaurants overall -- not just in the bayou country -- their main goal is just to survive."

The plans

Doody and school officials say they will approach the business community with plans once they are finalized, but that they donít pose a threat to local restaurants.

"Weíre not going to be a force thatís going to interfere with private enterprise. Thatís not its purpose," he said. "Iím hoping when we explain the scope of the restaurant, and people see itís not a restaurant as such, theyíll be more comfortable with it."

The only confirmed details of the proposed restaurant is the Bayou Country Clubís offer to lease a space to the institute, he said, and that the university is looking into the prospect.

"We have a long road to go in order to make sure that we work out the technical details so that we, as a state institution, can lease space from a private business," Doody said.

During a March meeting with Nicholls faculty, however, Doody painted a vivid picture of the type of restaurant he would like to create. According to documents handed out during the meeting, the project has several goals:

"To be the premiere private function facility in the greater Thibodaux area, serving the community broadly with an upbeat and contemporary offer of food and beverage."

"To provide a restaurant offer (lunches and dinners) that is unique, drawing customers on a regular basis from a multiple parish area."

The restaurant "will be at a very high level, made possible by the talent and experience of The John Folse Culinary Instituteís faculty and students." It will "become a preferred facility for Žsmart casualí fine dining in a multiple parish area, including Houma."

In interviews, Doody said his goal is to expand the Culinary Institute. The institute now has about 125 students working on culinary-arts degrees in about 4,000 square feet of classroom space. He wants to increase enrollment to about 400 students in the next five years.

The country club space is about 8,000 square feet, Doody said. Club officials say there is room to seat about 65 patrons at a time.

"We are actually undersized for our program," Doody said. "The fact we have this space available one mile away from campus is great."

SPACE FOR LEASE

Johnny Jambalaya once occupied the space at the club. Earlier this year, club organizers said they began searching for a restaurateur who could make the vacant dining and kitchen space profitable.

"We let it be known widely that we wanted to lease it to someone who would be interested in running a restaurant," said Donald Bardwell, a club board member and retired Nicholls professor.

The country club received three applicants, Bardwell said, including Doody. The board voted to give the university a lease.

Doody "expects the nature of the operation to draw from the outside of the neighboring community," he said. "He wants to offer a distinctive alternative to whatís available."

Bardwell said the operation would be controlled by a nonprofit organization and would not be associated with the university. School officials would not confirm this detail.

Fabian Castillo, chief financial officer of La Casa Del Sol, a Mexican restaurant with two locations in Houma and one in Thibodaux, said he will wait to hear more details about the restaurant from school officials.

"As a restaurateur, Iím interested in knowing the real facts of this project, as others are," said Castillo, active president of the Bayou Chapter of the Louisiana Restaurant Association. "I believe the culinary institute has created a lot of options for the community."

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